Will she blame Walmart, her child, or herself, I wonder?

[hrh_disney_queen]

I think that only applies when they have the items standing out on the floor. That's why most stores like Walmart have them up on shelves. That takes away the "attractive nuisance" and turns it into an act of self-liability. Stores with ongoing issues like this resort to chaining them in place, so that you have to ask a sales associate to unlock the one you're interested in. That's really because parents let their children run amok and it's easier to control the access than clean up the mess later. I've seen cases where the kid rides the bike over to Mom in the food section, she'll smack him and leave the bike there.

My kids stay right where I can see them - they're not glued to my hip, but they know the sightline rule. Because bikes are sized, we always have the kids sit on them and try them out, SUPERVISED, in an open area. But I would never let them ride the bike to the register or joy-ride a scooter through a section.

If that were my child, I would have given her a "Tough, you were wrong. See what happens?" and then she would have had to tidy up the entire scooter section and pick up any loose plastic from the floor. While I apologized to anyone who could hear.

All the Walmarts that I have been in have the bikes on overhead displays and on the floor. Same with ToysRUS, although their lower one is slightly elevated from the floor. We have been guilty of riding bikes in the store a few feet to see if they fit the kid, and the bikes are either right on the floor or easy enough to put there. Adults present at all times. So even though I think it's entirely the parent's and child's fault, I can certainly see how this sometimes crazy legal system of ours could consider this an attractive nuisance and find in their favor. I don't agree with it, but can see it happening.

 

[TLSnell1981]

We have been guilty of riding bikes in the store a few feet to see if they fit the kid,.

This is the reason assembled bikes are on the floor, albeit, usually with deflated tires.

 

[Ciao Mickey]

I voted "blame them all" only because you didn't have "other" listed.

I think the person who left the piece of plastic on the floor is mostly to blame.

Then I blame the cleaning people for not picking up the piece of plastic from the floor.

Next I will blame the manufacturer of the product from which the piece of plastic was able to fall off.

Is there anyone or anything else you can think to blame? Other than the parties involved? Because it's never ever their fault.

 

[lillygator]

I think lillygator was kidding. I think it would have been great if you could have had your poll then told us later what DID happen 10 minutes later. Like, was she scolding the kid by then while they were leaving, (having gotten over the intitila shock,) or still complaining to the cashier that stuff was left on the floor ... did Walmart threaten to charge her for the broken TV...

goodness, I meant he should have stuck around to see who she blamed!!

 

[smiley]

I hate... no, DESPISE... parents like this.

It's always someone else's fault, never EVER their sweet, innocent child's fault. Oh no!

My mom would have been SO MAD at me, she would have grabbed me and apologized to the store employee for my behavior, and then made ME apologize. If I was cut up, I would have gotten a, "Well, that is what you get for riding a scooter in the store. I don't want to hear it!"

First of all I must confess that I haven't read through this whole thread.

Secondly, Megs are you sure we're not long lost sisters? The reason I ask is that your description of what your mother would have done is EXACTLY what my mother would do if placed in that situation.

Parents like this contribute to children growing into adults who don't accept responsibility.

 

[lisah0711]

Wow takes all kinds.

I seen a man at lest in his late 30s showing his son how to do a Wheelie on a bike right down the middle of the store were the bikes are at
And that was the last time I every went back to Walmart.

Yep no Walmart here , Ill shop diff places.

Ron.

Yeah, I saw a guy doing that down the middle of the freeway in L.A. without a helmet!

People do dumb things no matter where they are . . . . even at Disney!

 

[Planogirl]

I often like to physically examine an object before I purchase it. Now do all items have to be locked in cages because someone's special snowflake might hurt themselves while mishandling it? Goodness, why not encase these children in bubble wrap?

 

[LisaNJ25]

The mom and the kids.. mostly the mom.. I had one son end up in a cast from a fall at penny's and second cast at a skating ring.. and another son with stitches from a fall at the drug store (hmm maybe I should stay home) Not once would I blame the locations. Only one out of those 3 incidents was from my kids not listening and me saying Stop it stop

I would if that mom ended up filing an incident report with the store.

 

[5lilfish]

I thought of this thread today. I was at Target and saw a preschooler almost crash into 2 people with a shopping cart. Grandma turns and says, "Oh. Be careful. You have to watch where you're going, honey." The kid had to be 4 yrs old. He had his arms stretched out above his head just to push the cart. He couldn't possibly "watch where he was going" and he really couldn't even control the cart. What goes through the mind of some people? It takes a special kind of stupid , I guess....

Jess

 

[C.Ann]

The blame "should" lie with the child and the mother..

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

The mother was negligent and her child was a hooligan.

While it is true that walmart should keep its aisles clean, this accident would NOT have happened if not for the mother and the wild child.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

I hate... no, DESPISE... parents like this.

It's always someone else's fault, never EVER their sweet, innocent child's fault. Oh no!

My mom would have been SO MAD at me, she would have grabbed me and apologized to the store employee for my behavior, and then made ME apologize. If I was cut up, I would have gotten a, "Well, that is what you get for riding a scooter in the store. I don't want to hear it!"

I concur!

Last week, my daughter was on the receiving end of an elbow to her nose and sustained a bloody nose.

Well, she was in the lobby of the gymnastics place and it is ordinarily not an issue. I am with my son in mommy and me.

I glanced out the window a few seconds prior to notice my little hooligan "playing" with this girl and tugging on her back back. The girl simply had a reflex b/c she coudln't get my daughter to stop.

I was not mad at her in the least. I felt bad for her. I allowed my daughter to get in trouble and know it and the girl's mom made sure her daughter was in trouble.

After we cleaned up my daughter's nose (and bought a long t-shirt b/c her dress was drenched in blood)--I had my daughter apologize to this young lady for tormenting her.

After the class, I still think she felt bad so I let her know that she didn't do anything wrong--my daughter was being mean to her and this girl didn't intentionally elbow her. It was simply an accident that happened b/c of what my child did.

Not sure if that was wise or not--but my child was being a little punk and I wasn't going to baby her for it.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

While I am with Walmart on this one, I wonder, with so many cameras in Walmart, maybe they could have prevented this? I don't know the answer, but maybe they have people who watch these cameras "live"?

I'm not sure about walmart, but when I worked for Sears, Loss Prevention was not fully staffed to watch the cameras live. But when I worked for Mervyn's, they were.

And sometimes even if fully staffed, they might be walking the floors.

In the end though, the responsibility for the child rests with the parents and how in the world can Wal-mart be blamed for not stopping the child.

Security cameras are there for loss prevention (to stop shoplifting)--not as babysitters.

Yes they are used for other purposes--but their primary purpose is to stop theft which for every $1 of stolen merchandise--lots of sales must be made for that $1. (For sears, they had to sell $100 worth for every $1 stolen IIRC--though I haven't worke there for over 12 years.)

 

[maxiesmom]

I voted to blame the mom. She obviously was using the toy department as her own private baby sitter for that shopping trip. I think people that don't work retail would be suprised at how often that is done.

Also, I can tell you it is impossible to pick up trash as fast as customers throw it on the floor! I am constantly bending over at work and picking up garbage. And what really irks me is that we have trash cans all over the store, and people will throw their garbage next to the can, not in it. People are pigs anymore.

 

[Rora]

Blame the mom. She needs to get some parenting skills, fast.

That being said, Wal-Mart should keep their aisles clean.

 

[Cinderella94]

Yes I am 100% serious. Now we can be logical about this, they could put the BOXES which the scooters come in on display, but they are a temptation for children and a hazard if they are left out of the box.
I am sure the floor model is the last to be bought.

The kid needs to be able to stand (I'm not saying move, just stand) on the scooter to see if the handlebars are tall enough for them.

Self control is a great lesson to learn/be taught early.

 

[DizBelle]

I often like to physically examine an object before I purchase it. Now do all items have to be locked in cages because someone's special snowflake might hurt themselves while mishandling it? Goodness, why not encase these children in bubble wrap?

I vote for locking the kids in cages.

 

[NEVERENOUGHWDW]

er.


The Walmart employee actually said, I'm sorry, but your daughter should not have been riding a scooter through the store".... I totally agree.

I wonder who the mom was blaming 10 minutes after the "accident"?

Totally agree!

If a mother can't handle a child in a store leave them home.

My guess, Mommy Dearest will be at an attorney's office Monday morning.

(I'm so glad we don't have Walmart's in this area, something always seems to be going on in that store).

 

[MM27]

I vote for locking the kids in cages.